Chile’s Dictatorship Victims Lament That Lucia Hiriart Died in Impunity

"I regret that Lucia Hiriart has never been judicially prosecuted for her authorship in the crimes of corruption and for her participation as an accomplice in the crimes against humanity that were committed during the dictatorship," said Lira in an interview with CNN Chile.

Lira explained that Hiriart was "Pinochet's permanent driving force to apply repressive and abusive policies, a role that could never be proven by justice."

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The Communist Youth of Chile, whose members were persecuted and murdered during the regime, tweeted: "Lucía Hiriart died, widow of the criminal tyrant Augusto Pinochet, she leaves in complete impunity just like her husband, today more than ever Chile needs to advance in justice and reparation."

Lucía Hiriart was born in Antofagasta, in northern Chile, on December 10, 1922, to a wealthy family of politicians and lawyers. At the age of 10, she moved to Santiago and at 19, she met the then 28-year-old Army second lieutenant Augusto Pinochet, whom she married.

Iriart was known for her strong and dominant personality; in fact, it is known that she was the one who pushed a hesitant Pinochet to take the decisive step to betray former President Salvador Allende (1970-1973) and join the coup d'état of September 11, 1973, at the last minute.

During the dictatorship, Hiriart directed the Centro de Madres de Chile (Cema), a supposedly non-profit organization that the woman used to conduct private business, with operations exceeding US$9.3 million.

According to official figures, Pinochet's regime left 3,197 people murdered, 28,000 tortured, and 200,000 exiled.